Effect of seed priming with growth promoting bacteria on yield and yield components of corn under drought stress

Water deficit and resulted drought stress are the main factors of crop yield lose in arid and semi-arid regions. Plant growth promoting bacteria can be used as a biological solution to mitigate negative effects of drought stress. To investigate the effect of seed priming with growth promoting bacteria on yield and yield components of corn SC770 under different drought stress conditions, a split-factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design was conducted at Kermanshah Research Center during growing season of 2017-2018. Four irrigation levels including normal irrigation, very mild, mild, and severe stress were applied by implementing of single-branch irrigation system. The seeds are inoculated by Pseudomonas putida Strain 41, 159 and Pseudomonas fluorescence Strain 23. Bacterial inoculation had significant impact on all studied traits. Increasing stress level depressed all studied traits compared to normal irrigation condition. Also, at all stress levels, bacterial inoculation improved corn traits. Therefore, seed priming with growth-promoting bacteria especially P. putida Strain 159 is recommended for improving yield and plant drought tolerance.